Forever Manchester is a charity that raises money to fund and support community activity across Greater Manchester

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Barclays

Barclays have strong traditions in Manchester and can trace our history back to back to four local Manchester banks.

The Union Bank of Manchester was founded in 1836 in King Street. In 1919, the Union Bank of Manchester was acquired by Barclays, becoming an ‘affiliated’ bank of the Barclays Group and was formally amalgamated with Barclays in 1940. Over 140 branches were integrated into Barclays, under the control of a new Manchester Local Head Office which controlled large areas of Lancashire and Cumbria and parts of Cheshire, Derbyshire and Yorkshire, with deposits worth £22m.

In 1872 the Lancashire and Yorkshire Bank was established in King Street, Manchester. It expanded steadily and helped finance the Manchester Ship Canal. It was acquired by Martins Bank in 1928 and subsequently became part of Barclays in 1969.

The Mercantile Bank was established in Manchester in 1890. It opened several branches until it was acquired by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Bank in 1904.

In 1899, the Palatine Bank was established in Manchester. It opened a number of branches until it was acquired by Martins Bank in 1919.

Barclays continues to invest in Manchester, and in 2008, the very first new flagship branch was opened in a prime city centre location on Market Street, they also have strong Corporate and Wealth & Investment Management Teams working out of their Spinningfields office.